Sound picture screen



June 2, 1931.

SOUND PICTURE SCREEN Filed Nov 5, 1929 MUNI mae'

INVENTOR Willi am J/St'/oomuaher m/ l. Ww

w. J. scHooNMAKER 1,808,077 l Patented June 2, 1931 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J". SCHOONMAKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SOUND PICTURE SCREEN Application 'led November 5, 1929. Serial No. 404,882.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sound picture screens of the class adapted for the reproduction of talk ing pictures, and it has been an object of this n device to construct and build a sound picture screen wherein the numerous defects hitherto found and obstacles met have been eliminated, and wherein the cooperation of a picture display with the reproduction of sound 1a has attained the desired state of perfection.

Hitherto the screens employed on the moving picture stage, until the introduction of the so called talking films, were made with one object in mind, that is, to yield the most effective reflection according to the individual surroundings.

However, as the science relative to sounds has reached a stage, where the phonetics may be controlled and in a certain sense embodied 2c and made to cooperate with a film display, it

has become incumbent to devise a medium in the form of a screen which would offer suitable conditions to the passage of sounds and at the same time avoid impair-ing the reiection of light thrown upon the screen for the display of a talking picture.

The objects above stated have been kept in view in the construction of this device, as the latter presents a one hundred per cent perc fect reflective surface with a minimum of resistance to the passage of sound, in act, it is contended, as based upon experiments, that the impairment to the passage of sound in this device is so insignificant that it is almost negligible. u

The device, as will be hereinafter further described consists of a woven material in which through a specifically designed pattern of weaving an immense number of very line interstices exist among the threads. In addition to the latter, which form the basic construction of this device, the said material, however, has also been shown with a comparatively small number of somewhat larger air spaces or apertures woven among the threads. By thus employing a special pattern or design in the weaving of the material, as will be clearly seen from the accompanying drawings, a surface has been created in which in addition to the features formerly stated, the threads have been ar ranged in such a manner as to form tiny ridges and cross ridges upon the surface of the said material, thereby contributing to the perfection of the latter in regard to the problem of reflection, as the light projected upon a surface as thus described will be diffused and thus reliected evenly with no shadows or high lights as arise when light is reflected from a polished or non-diffusive surface, when viewed from different angles.

While the said material thus offers a medium for comparatively unrestricted transmission of sound and perfect reflection, the construction of this device further contemplates the application of a plastic fluid paint compound to the said material in order to make the latter waterproof and washable, while at the same time imparting to the said screen a pliancy suiicient to permit of folding the latter in the usual manner.

With the advantages thus addedto the said screen material through the application of said plastic paint compound, it must be pointed out in this connection that the composition of the said plastic paint has been tempered in density to the effect, that the latter, when applied to the woven screen cloth, will not clog up the apertures, or entirely close the interstices amongthe threads, but only further the objects formerly stated.

The screens hitherto employed usually have been made from pieces of material of an approximate width of from 52 to 54 inches, as no mechanical means were at hand to perforate any cloth of a larger width.

A condition of this kind has been entirely eliminated in this present device asthe screen illustrated herein consists of but one whole piece of woven material with the desired apertures arranged therein not through a stamping process but in the course of weaving the cloth. This naturally will reduce the cost of manufacturing considerably, and thus constitutes a decided advantage. 9"

As the construction of this device, as described, is rather simple the cost of manufacturing the same should be comparatively low.

With the above and other objects in View, this invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangements of parts, hereinafter fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views, and in which:

Figures 1 and 2 show plan views of a portion of a screen embodying my invention, and having a Aplastic fluid composition applied thereto; and Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, lindcatesawoven material, or the body of a screen, provided with Aapertures 11 formed therein, While 12 denotes innumerable interstices closely arranged in the said body, the said apertures serving as a medium for transmission of sound. A coating of a plastic paint-compound indicated by 14 is applied to the surface of the screen in such a manner as to close up the interstices, but not the apertures.

It will be observed, especially from the View in Fig. 2, that the Weaving of the said screen has been performed in a manner so as to provide a surface formed with tiny ridges with interstices-interpersed among the latter for the purpose stated, i. e., in order to obtain an evenly diffused screen surface and a perfect transmission of sound. The said ridges are indicated by numeral 13.

It is vobvious that changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement as shown, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit ofA the invention, and I do'not therefore limit myself to the construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A sound picture screen, comprising a Woven cloth formed with interstices and somewhat larger apertures in the weaving among the threads and having a plastic fluid compound applied thereto, the said plastic compound being of a density suitable for covering the threads of the said cloth in order to make thelatter waterproofand washable and of-a density suliicient to clog up and entirely close the said interstices, but not of suicient density to clog up or close the aper` tures. I c

2. A sound -picture screen, comprising a Woven cloth having a ridge-formed surface and being made with interstices and some- Whatlarger apertures in the weaving among the threads, a plastic Huid compound applied thereto, the said compound being of a density suitable for covering the threads of the said .cloth in order to'make the latter waterproof and washable, and of a density suliicient to clog up and entirely close the said interstices. but not of sufficient density to clog up or close the apertures, thus permitting the passage of sound through the said screen by way of the apertures, at the same time giving by virtue of the ridged surface an evenly diffused reflection to the picture displayed.

3. A sound picture screen, comprising a.

suiicient to clog up and entirely close the said interstices, but not of suicient density to clog up or close the apertures, thus permitting the passage of sound through the said screen by way of the apertures, at the same time giving by virtue of the ridged surface an evenly diffused reiection to the picture displayed. Y

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New York this 29th October, 1929.

WILLIAM J. SCHOONMAKER. 

